Yesterday, President Barack Obama did a very foolish thing. He made a statement with enough latitude that Republicans were able to take it out of context, twist the meaning, and make a very credible case for their lies about Obama’s position.
With good reason, presidents have long been said to hold the power of the bully pulpit. But when President Obama sought to wield it on Friday, by calling a White House news conference to showcase his concern for the economy and Republicans’ refusal to work with him, he was the one who ended up getting pummeled.
By late afternoon, Mr. Obama was forced to clarify one line from his morning session with reporters — “the private sector is doing fine” — after Congressional Republicans and his presidential rival, Mitt Romney, had seized on the comment to criticize Mr. Obama as out-of-touch and detached from the millions of Americans who cannot find jobs or have given up looking.
“Listen, it is absolutely clear that the economy is not doing fine. That’s the reason I had the press conference,” Mr. Obama said in clarifying his earlier remark when asked about Mr. Romney’s criticism during an Oval Office appearance with the president of the Philippines, Benigno S. Aquino III… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
The context of Obama’s speech, in which he made that statement, is the difference between the job increases in private sector job growth and the job decreases in public sector job growth. He meant that the private sector is doing a much better at job creation than the public sector, as the above graph demonstrates. That’s what he should have said. (The sudden increases followed by decreases in public sector workers in 2010 reflects the temporary hiring of census workers.)
Michael Eric Dyson clarifies the context and shows how Romney’s reply is far more egregious than anything Obama said. Robert Reich explains the economics.
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
As for Christie, note that Obama did not blame state and local governments, as Christie claims. Obama said that many of the cuts were occasioned by drops in federal support. Romney’s assertion that we don’t need more firemen, policemen and teachers shows that he is the one out of touch with the American people. But those are the people Romney wants cut. Every penny Democrats spend on a fireman, policeman, or teacher is a penny Republicans can’t give to a billionaire.
Republicans keep harping that the unemployment rate is over 8%, but, had Republicans not obstructed adding public sector jobs in multiple proposals from Obama, unemployment would be 7.9% at most.
21 Responses to “The Context of "Doing Fine"”
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Once said can’t be recalled– Our President needs to be more aware of how every word is examined and twisted
I witness people suffering everyday here in Florida just hanging on to survive… It is so very distressing…
I don’t blame President Obama, the blame lays on Republican Congress and Senate that wants to make President Obama a one termer…
I agree, although what he said was fine, in context.
Maybe he just needs a break from Clinton
LMAO!
You’re 100% correct when you note that it’s an outrageous statement when Taken Out of Context. But we all know that’s exactly what the Repubicans will do – again and again and again.
The Repubicans will make Pres. Obama a pinata this campaign – but Obama has been pinata before. So I hope he simply refocuses and gets on with the task of telling the truth about out country. Now THAT is something totally foreign to his opponent.
The one bright spot is that “Meet the Press Repubicans” will NOT be on tomorrow because of being preempted by the French Tennis Open. So at least David “Raps-&-Dances-With-Rove” Gregory will NOT be able to drone on and on and on about it while he’s shilling Repubican Talking Points. (God, I HATE that man.) So don’t you think we deserve a little rainbow?
I quit watching Meet the Press because of him.
That’s almost enough to make me a tennis fan!
Yesterday, President Barack Obama did a very foolish thing. He made a statement with enough latitude that Republicans were able to take it out of context, twist the meaning, and make a very credible case for their lies about Obama’s position.
Do they every do anything any other way? Answer: Nope. Never. Out of context, disingenuous, deliberately lying, slanderous, and cruel – all words that describe the republicans.
And you’re description is kind, compared to reality.
I witness people suffering everyday here in Florida just hanging on to survive… It is so very distressing… I’m having trouble posting.
I see them here too, Richard.
You seem to have comments in most threads. What’s wrong?
Anything, at any time, that any Democrat says will be misconstrued by the Republicans.
Edith, I believe the word is misconscrewed!
That’s funny (and so stolen now). I even looked it up at The Urban Dictionary:
Amen to Edie. Kudos to Lynn. Leave it to Nameless to find a link! 😉
Anyone who saw the President would have either understood what he meant, or been lying through his teeth to misconstrue it.
JR, I agree, but I was listening and the second he said it, I said, “Oh shit!” without even thinking about it.
Mr Obama perhaps could have chosen his words better. But having said that, anybody with half a brain should have understood what he meant to say. Unfortunately, the Republican/Teabaggers are guaranteed to distort and twist anything and everything to fit their agenda — they will force a square peg into a round hole! Those that are in dire need of some truth will only get the Republican/Teabagger tainted pabulum through Faux Noise because they are low-effort thinkers incapable of independent thinking!
…anybody with half a brain should have understood what he meant to say.
Lynn, we’re talking about US voters here. 🙁